Reason #4 Why Families Fight Over Estates

4. The Trusted Caregiver or Confidant

When there are no family members to take care of an elderly client, he is often forced to rely on caregivers and other professionals for care. Unfortunately, these paid professionals can, likewise, be opportunists, preying on the weakened faculties and necessary dependency of their charges. In such a case, a client’s children and grandchildren may be disinherited (or have their inheritances significantly reduced) in favor of the nurse, attorney or other caregiver.

By way of example, a number of parties are currently litigating the estate of Ernie Banks, the famous Chicago Cub and baseball hall of famer, who made substantial estate planning changes late in his life in favor of a personal nurse and to the detriment of adult family members.